College of Fine Arts and Production

The College of Fine Arts and Production gives students many opportunities to connect with industry professionals. Students from multiple programs in the college have a chance to engage with guest dance artists and directors, scene designers and a professional drone cinematographer, to name a few. “I think it has to do with our push and our goal of helping our students succeed once they leave here,” said Claude Pensis, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Production. “It’s a matter of really trying to use every tool that we could possibly get to help them make contacts, to help them get to know industry professionals in the Valley and hopefully to be interviewed by them and find jobs.”

College of Fine Arts and Production graduates Klay Wandelear and Brenna Warren both earned a master’s degree this summer from East 15, a branch of Essex University, and enjoyed the experience so much, they’re staying in England for the time being. They said their time at GCU prepared them well. “I think I would have had a really hard time if I hadn’t spent so much time in Ethington Theatre,” Warren said. “How it worked set me up to be a dedicated and respectful actor.”

There will be a lot of laughs in Ethington Theatre this season, and that’s by design. The schedule, which begins Aug. 23 with “One Man, Two Guvnors,” is filled with classic comedies. “Lighthearted,” said Claude Pensis, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Production, “but still the plays have messages. It’s always a matter of what does the director want to do, and then how does it fit into the program?”

Breaking into the professional world can be difficult, especially in the arts. But even with their graduation from GCU fresh on their minds, several dance alumni already are thriving in their first big jobs. “I hope that the world receives them and loves them as much as we have here,” Dance Director Susannah Keita said. “I’m a proud dance mom.”

This Year’s dance intensive is in full swing this week as about 20 dancers, aged 14-21, come to campus to get the full experience of what a university dance department is like. Students will be taught multiple forms of dance including jazz, modern and ballet just to name a few. “They are go-getters, they’re often quite talented, quite skilled, have been really serious about dance,” Dance Director Susannah Keita said. “And it is really exciting when they come and audition for the program and we recognize them and we know them already.”

It has been about three years since Michael Kary self-published what he once thought to be journals, and now his book, “Acting in Faith: A Christian’s Guide,” is being published by Kendall Hunt Publishing and distributed to other Christian institutions across the country. In it, Kary teaches students that they can still be proud Christians while also excelling in the acting profession. Kary believes that differences between the entertainment industry and Christianity have led to both sides holding misunderstood views about each other and hopes his book will help clear up some of the misconceptions that exist.

Suzy Guarino-Hall, a tap instructor for the dance program, is producing “Murder at the TAP’Ocho,” which will incorporate tap dancing with singing and a storyline and debuts Sunday in Mesa. The show will feature several GCU students and alumni as well as Director of Dance Susannah Keita. “This is literally going to be the best show we’ve ever done,” Guarino-Hall said.

Two days before commencement, 57 design students filled four classrooms in the College of Fine Arts and Production Building on Tuesday to display their portfolios for their peers and families at the Senior Design Showcase. Animations, photography, marketing designs and numerous other forms of artwork allowed viewers to get a better idea of who these students are. “Everyone’s setup is their own,” Elizabeth Segura said. “Every year you have something different. There’s different people, different things that they have to offer. I think it’s pretty cool every year to see the variety.”

Who needs to end the semester with a BANG if you could end it with a POP? The Spring Dance Concert premieres Friday and will be the final production at Ethington Theatre for the semester. Audiences can expect to hear an array of music of multiple musical icons and genres over the decades. Students will be performing contemporary, tap, ballet as well as classical jazz throughout the production. “There is something for everyone,” faculty member Kevin Godfrey-Chevalier said. Start times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Theater Department works hard to provide the best opportunities they can for their students. One of those opportunities was in the form of a workshop that took place over spring break to allow students to learn how to prepare for a professional audition outside of GCU. Robert Kolby Harper lead the workshop and helped students get a better understanding of how to feel more comfortable in an audition setting, as well as letting them know that it is ok to be yourself in an audition. “The biggest thing I take away from everything I’ve seen in what we’re doing here is just to be ourselves and try and shed the performance skin that we’ve all been built up to over the years,” said COFAP student Mykhal Polite.